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Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: ‘X-Men: Dark Phoenix’ respectable end to movie mutant saga

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“X-Men: Dark Phoenix” (PG-13)

The “X-Men” saga – at least in this iteration – is finally coming to an end with “X-Men: Dark Phoenix,” an exciting and satisfying conclusion to the Marvel movie mutant series that began in 2000 with Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and Halle Berry, and introduced the world to the talents of an Australian actor named Hugh Jackman.

Since that time, the “X-Men” have assembled for six movies (not including three featuring Wolverine/Logan and two for Deadpool), the last being pitiful “X-Men: Apocalypse” in 2016. Thankfully the deck has been reshuffled for the finale to feature the comic book’s acclaimed “Dark Phoenix” saga, which benefits by the rising popularity by “Game of Thrones” star Sophie Turner in the title role.

Interview Flashback: Hugh Jackman talks ‘Days of Future Past’

“Dark Phoenix” begins in 1975, where after a tragedy involving her family, a young Jean Grey (Summer Fontana) is taken into Dr. Charles Xavier’s (James McAvoy) School for the Gifted, where he teaches the telepathic mutant to harness her powers. Fast-forwarding to 1992, the adult Jean (Turner), along with fellow mutants Beast (Nicolas Hoult), Mystique (Jennifer Lawrence), Cyclops (Tye Sheridan), Storm (Alexandra Shipp), Nightcrawler (Kodi Smit-McPhee) and Quicksilver (Evan Peters), are recruited by the U.S. government to save the astronauts of a NASA space shuttle, which is in distress, spinning in space and ready to explode any minute.


AUDIO: Tim reviews “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” with Tom Barnard on 
“The KQ Morning Show” on KQRS-FM.

The dangerous mission works, but in an attempt of rescuing the shuttle captain, Grey absorbs what seems to be a solar flare, which gives her powers far beyond what she can control. Tragically, the instability in her mutation leads to a tragic death that fractures the X-Men: some of which including Magneto want to kill her, while Professor X and Jean’s boyfriend, Cyclops, want to save and possibly cure her. Standing in everybody’s way, though, is an alien race lead by the malevolent Vuk (Jessica Chastain), who seek the Dark Phoenix’s powers to impose rule over the planet.

“Dark Phoenix” is a reboot within a reboot story of sorts for the “X-Men” movie universe, following the critical and fan lambasting of the plot in “X-Men: The Last Stand,” where Jean Grey (Famke Janssen) was resurrected after sacrificing herself to save her fellow X-Men in “X2: X-Men United.” The plot misfire was rectified somewhat, though, with the time-traveling plot of 2014’s “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” which allowed for director and writer Simon Kinberg (replacing excommunicated “X-Men” helmer Bryan Singer) an opportunity to bring justice to the comic book fan-favorite storyline.

To that end, fans should be satisfied with “Dark Phoenix,” even though a few parts – especially at the beginning and the end of the film — echo too closely the beginning and the ending of “The Last Stand.” Of course, the big benefit now is the right use of the always evolving world of visual effects, which is done in ways familiar in some instances, and refreshing and new in others.

What makes the film worthwhile is the cast, including Turner, McAvoy, Fassbender, Holt and Chastain in the key roles. While she receives top-billing, Lawrence’s appearance is reduced to a supporting turn here, while Sheridan, Shipp and McPhee appear in more functional roles. Underused again – like he has been from the very beginning – is Peters’ always entertaining Quicksilver, who essentially disappears after two large action showcases. But while the leads have a lot of presence, the film still needed someone with the charisma of Jackman to anchor it, an attribute the actor instantly brought to franchise as a relative newcomer in 2000.

“X-Men: Dark Phoenix” is a vast improvement over 2016’s “X-Men: Apocalypse,” a dreadful disappointment coming off of the blistering success of “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” which is arguably one of the best in the “X-Men” film series involving nearly all of the major X-Men characters past and present. “Days of Future Past” served as a solid, passing-of-the-torch film from the legacy cast to the prequel cast established in 2011’s “X-Men: First Class” (McAvoy, Fassbender, Lawrence and Hoult), and was the last to feature Jackman, Stewart and McKellen in meaningful roles (apart from Jackman’s powerful “Logan.”). The bloated and tedious “Apocalypse,” quite simply, couldn’t live up to hype and left a promising revival hanging in the balance.

Photo: 20th Century Fox/Disney

“Dark Phoenix” thankfully restores the “X-Men” saga to its former glory, recapturing the tone of the previous, great “X-Men” films, which traditionally have been far more serious than their Marvel Cinematic Universe counterparts. While the MCU films have largely been about publicly-accepted superheroes saving the world, the “X-Men” films have keyed in on how the mutants with superpowers have been societal outcasts, a theme that is examined once again after the “X-Men” fall out of the public’s good graces after the space shuttle crew rescue.

While the film is being billed as “the shocking end to the X-Men saga,” fans shouldn’t fret too much over not seeing their favorite film mutants again. Essentially what this means is that “Dark Phoenix” is the last film that was produced wholly under the 20th Century Fox banner, which finally was absorbed by Disney in the spring. What it surely does mean is that either there will be new “X-Men” films cast by Disney and the MCU (good luck recasting Jackman’s Wolverine!), or at the very least, the introduction of select X-Men characters (who will likely be recast) to the new “Avengers” tales post-“Endgame.”


AUDIO: Tim reviews “X-Men: Dark Phoenix” and more with Jordana Green and guest host Joe Anderson on “Paul and Jordana” on WCCO-AM.

No matter what the case may be, at least “Dark Phoenix” did right by the franchise by completing its sprawling, 19-year-long tale in a meaningful sort of way. Sure, the franchise, never earned the gazillions of dollars the MCU did, but it rarely lost sight of good storytelling and created plenty of characters fans cared about. If anything, the first “X-Men” in 2000 kicked off a new wave of superhero films that burgeoned into the genre juggernaut that it is today. And talk about mutating … without “X-Men” and the clear appetite fans had for superhero fare, who knows were the genre would have gone had Fox didn’t take the initiative and risk to produce the film nearly 20 years ago. Dark as the themes in the series may be, they brought a whole new cinematic light to comic book movies.

Lammometer: 7.5 (out of 10)

Tim Lammers reviews movies weekly for The KQ92 Morning Show,” “KARE 11 News at 11” (NBC), WCCO Radio, WJON-AM, KLZZ-FM, “The Tom Barnard Podcast” and “The BS Show” with Bob Sansevere.

Copyright 2019 DirectConversations.com

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Film, Movie Reviews

Movie review: ‘The Huntsman: Winter’s War’

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Universal Pictures

By Tim Lammers

“The Huntsman: Winter’s War” (PG-13) 3 stars (out of four)

The stars of “Snow White and the Huntsman” are back – sans Kristen Stewart – in “The Huntsman: Winter’s War,” a solid prequel/sequel to the 2012 original that adds Emily Blunt and Jessica Chastain to the cast.  Stewart was creatively omitted from the follow-up, which first looks at the origins of Eric the Huntsman (Chris Hemsworth) and the fellow warrior, Sara (Chastain), he grew up with; then skips forward over the events of “Snow White and the Huntsman” as it heads to an epic showdown between Eric & Sara, the evil Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) and her sister, the Ice Queen Freya (Blunt), over the all-powerful magic mirror.

While “The Huntsman’s” premise – a mishmash of fairy tale characters from “Frozen,” “Brave” and, of course, “Snow White” – is hardly original, a talented cast (including the hilarious Nick Frost as one of the Huntsman’s dwarf warriors), makes up for the film’s shortcomings. “The Huntsman” is far from perfect, but a crowd-pleasing film nonetheless.

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie reviews: ‘Steve Jobs,’ ‘Crimson Peak,’ ‘Bridge of Spies’

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Michael Fassbender in 'Steve Jobs' (photo -- Universal)

By Tim Lammers

“Steve Jobs” (R) 3 1/2 stars (out of 4)

Michael Fassbender gives one of the year’s best performances in the title role in “Steve Jobs,” a fascinating look into the complex mind of the Apple Computers genius. Foregoing the traditional biopic format, director Danny Boyle successfully opts to tell Jobs’ story in three thrilling acts, each taking place before product launches of the Macintosh Computer in 1984, the NeXT black box in 1988 and the iMac in 1998.

Unlike the previous Apple co-founder biopic — the 2013 Aston Kutcher bomb “Jobs” — “Steve Jobs” pulls no punches when illustrating the Jobs’ scornful behavior.  Some of the most notable scenes chronicle his ugly child support battle with his ex-girlfriend Chrisann Brennan (Katherine Waterston), the public lambasting of co-founder Steve Wozniak (Seth Rogen, in a familiar feeling portrayal), and Macintosh co-designer Andy Hertzfeld (an excellent Michael Stuhlbarg); as well as an examination of his volatile relationship with Apple CEO John Sculley (the always great Jeff Daniels).

If it’s to be believed (Apple and Jobs’ widow have raised objections over the film), Jobs was hated by most everybody he worked with (the exception being his loyal marketing guru Joanna Hoffman, expertly played by Kate Winslet). The interesting thing is, Boyle, through Aaron Sorkin’s searing script, tries to examine just why Jobs was the way he was — mostly because he was a socially inept genius who simply thought about things on an entirely different plane.

There’s a telling line early in the film where Jobs tells Sculley something to the effect of, “I like you John — you’re the only one who sees the world the same way I do”; to which Sculley responds, “No one sees the world the way you do, Steve.” In a way, it tells us that Jobs’ prickish behavior wasn’t necessarily born out of hatred, but rather his frustration that people simply don’t understand him. There’s no question Steve Jobs was one of a kind, and so is this movie.

“Crimson Peak” (R) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)

Gifted filmmaker Guillermo Del Toro sadly falls short of delivering on his film’s promise with “Crimson Peak,” a beautifully constructed and admirably acted Gothic horror thriller that is hobbled by its predictable story-line.

Mia Wasikowska (“Alice in Wonderland”) stars as Edith Cushing, an aspiring American Gothic romance novelist in the late 1800s who is swept off her feet by Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston), a charismatic British aristocrat. After marrying Thomas, Edith moves to her husband’s native England along with his suspicious sister, Lucille (a creepy Jessica Chastain) — only to discover their family’s mansion houses gruesome secrets, and there is no way to escape.

There’s no question Del Toro has an incredible handle in filmmaking, as he artfully brings back to life the types of settings and atmosphere that gave the Hammer horror films of the 1960s and ’70s a special brand of eeriness (plus, Edith Cushing’s surname is an obvious ode to late, great Hammer star Peter Cushing). While at its heart “Crimson Peak” is a haunted housed thriller (Del Toro’s ghosts are as creatively fashioned as anything you’ve seen in his previous thrillers), the script feels as vacant as the sprawling Sharpe mansion. True, the scenes with the specters of Edith’s, Thomas’ and Lucille’s haunted pasts are thrilling, but ultimately, the motivation of the siblings and their lurid back story come as no big surprise when they’re finally revealed.

Ultimately, “Crimson Peak” isn’t a bad movie; just a disappointing one that fails to meet its potential given the level of talent involved.

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“Bridge of Spies” (PG-13) 2 1/2 stars (out of four)

“Bridge of Spies” has almost everything you would hope for out of a Steven Spielberg film: It transports you back to an important set of events in U.S. history, while being beautifully photographed and having a cast of colorful, convincing characters, including an Oscar-worthy performance by Mark Rylance. The theater veteran’s performance is so strong in fact, that it can’t help but highlight the film’s glaring weakness, involving someone in the cast that you’d least expect.

Tom Hanks stars as James B. Donovan, an idealistic New York City attorney tasked by the government to represent Rudolf Abel (Rylance) after he is detained in the city and accused of being a spy at the height of the Cold War. Asked to go through the formalities for a quick and speedy resolution — effectively, to put on a show so that no accusations could be levied saying that Abel didn’t have fair representation — Donovan instead represents the alleged spy in earnest. It’s a move that ultimately saves Abel’s life, and makes him a valuable asset for trade when an American pilot is shot down during a spy mission over East Germany.

Spielberg effectively presents “Bridge of Spies” in two acts: first, as it concerns the trial, and second, the exchange of spies with the Soviets in East Germany. For those looking for an intense spy thriller, you’ll only get it in the second act, and the thrills are limited at best. Action-wise, “Bridge of Spies” only has one scene of note, when the American pilot’s plane is shot-down in the enemy’s air space.

While “Bridge of Spies” has several strengths, the biggest problem with the film, honestly, is its leading man, as Hanks’ umpteenth turn as the good guy is starting to wear dangerously thin. There’s no doubt that Hanks can act, it just at this point feels like he playing the same type of role over and over again. It would have been interesting to see him take on Rylance’s role, which is played with brilliant ambiguity. Instead, we get another film where it feels like Hanks is just reading lines. In the wake of “Bridge of Spies,” somebody needs to infiltrate Hanks’ management and urge that the Oscar-winning actor start taking more risks. His career will be all the better for it.

Film, Movie Reviews

Movie reviews: ‘The Walk,’ ‘The Martian’

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Philippe Petit (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in TriStar Pictures' THE WALK.

By Tim Lammers

“The Walk” (PG) 4 stars (out of four)

Director Robert Zemeckis takes the art of filmmaking to dizzy new heights, quite literally, with “The Walk,” a brilliant dramatic recreation of Phillipe Petit’s death-defying wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in 1974. Even though the amazing feat was chronicled in the Oscar-winning 2008 documentary “Man on Wire” and we know how the story ends, Zemeckis — through the stellar acting of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Petit — still expertly manages to place the viewer right on the wire with the famed wire walker and creates an air of uncertainty. Before that, Zemeckis recounts the extraordinary events leading up to the walk, ingeniously framing them within something you’d see in a heist film.

“The Walk” can only be seen on IMAX screens until its wide opening Oct. 9, and quite frankly it’s the only way to see it. It’s a film experience that might not play well for those afraid of heights, as Zemeckis creates one of the most intense film atmospheres in recent memory. While “The Walk” is an uplifting film, there’s obviously a looming sense of sadness as the vision of the Twin Towers recalls the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001 — an event that Gordon-Levitt handles with heartbreaking subtlety with a beautiful soliloquy at the film’s conclusion. It’s one of the best films of the year.

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“The Martian” 3 1/2 stars (out of four)

The curse of lukewarm Red Planet movies is lifted by director Ridley Scott with “The Martian,” a smart, sci-fi epic that wonderfully mixes action, adventure, drama, comedy and great visual effects into a relatable narrative about a NASA astronaut stranded on Mars. A movie that respects its audiences’ intelligence, “The Martian” works real science into the story, yet presents it in a way that we can all understand. Following the brilliance of director Christopher Nolan’s “Interstellar,” Scott continues to raise the bar that future space films should strive for.

Unlike his classic space thriller “Alien,” and “Alien” prequel “Prometheus,” Scott’s monster in “The Martian” is time, as astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is left alone on Mars and presumed dead after a storm separates him from his crew. Featuring a stellar ensemble cast including the likes of Jessica Chastain, Michael Pena, Sebastian Stan, Jeff Daniels, Kristin Wiig, Sean Bean and Chiwetel Ejiofor as astronauts and NASA personnel scrambling to assemble a rescue plan, “The Martian” proves that Scott is once again at the top of his game.